New Roads mayor defends purchases amid investigation

NEW ROADS - New Roads Mayor Robert Myer ended his silence Tuesday about purchases he made on the city's credit card.

Myer admitted some purchases were for personal use, but claimed the city was reimbursed for every last penny. The mayor showed the Investigative Unit personal checks Tuesday which he said backed up his claims.

Myer is at the center of an investigation by the Office of State Inspector General into credit card purchases. Over the past three years, at least $155,000 was charged to the city's credit card. Some of the purchases show Myer charged meals and things like mattresses to the city's credit card.

Myer said checks were written back to the city during that time frame to cover the costs of his personal expenses.

"We've run a good organization and we've done a lot of things for the city in the last four years," Myer said. "We will continue to do this."

Other charges that were classified as business expenses included an expensive hotel stay at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in New Orleans and a charge to Laser Tag in Baton Rouge.

"The funny thing about Laser Tag is that was a summer youth program," Myer said. "We employ kids for the summer and had their end of the year party at Laser Tag."

Myer said to avoid any appearance of impropriety, he implemented a new policy this year which keeps city employees from making any purchases on their city credit cards.

He said he was positive about the outcome of the state Inspector General's investigation.